As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare for a 2026 season that could cause heads to roll if they don't make any progress in the playoffs, the New York Giants are getting so nostalgic that they are bringing back former star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for one last ride.
The Giants kept Beckham on their initial 53-man roster to start the 2026 season, even allowing him to switch back to the No. 13 he had during his scalding-hot prime. While this may be a feel-good moment for Giants fans, one can't help but wonder if the Beckham name is serving as the proverbial thumb on the scale.
Doesn't this feel like unearned fan service? Beckham will get Giants fans riled up, but to claim that he was the absolute best option this team could have reasonably acquired seems like a stretch. If he falters, Philly could benefit as much as any other team.
Odell Beckham Jr's Giants return must seem like fan service to the Philadelphia Eagles
The last time Beckham had more than 600 yards in a season, Freddie Kitchens and Baker Mayfield were trying to turn around the Cleveland Browns while Jordan Howard and Boston Scott were in the Philadelphia backfield. In that time, Beckham, who will turn 34 in November, has had some major injuries, including one that cost him the entire 2022 season.
Imagine if his name was Odell Jones. He's an aging receiver who has never had elite speed (though it was solid when he was younger), and now he's lost multiple steps. Last season, he caught nine passes for one of the worst offenses in football before a total rebuild. Does that sound like a worthwhile addition?
The Odell Beckham-led Giants are still below the Philadelphia Eagles
Imagine the uproar if the Eagles decided to replace A.J. Brown with Quez Watkins. That sounds silly, doesn't it? Well, Watkins had a 600-yard receiving season more recently than Beckham.
The Giants bringing Beckham back doesn't even help their thin wide receiver room. Malik Nabers is not a sure thing to be fully healthy, Malachi Fields is a raw rookie, and the depth behind Beckham is underwhelming, not to mention the fact that Jaxson Dart is a complete wild card at this point in his career.
Read more: These 4 Eagles practice squad members should be on 53-man roster right now
You never want to see one of your favorite bands doing county fair shows, but that's what Beckham's New York return feels like. Giants fans can watch him try his hardest to replicate the good times of 2015, while the Eagles pivot to once again reinforcing a roster expected to compete for a championship.
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